[Ansteorra] hiding mundane

[Michael Silverhands]

On Jun 13, 2007, at 10:52 AM, Jay Rudin wrote:

> Eventually, Henry VII decreed that literate people who were not in  
> holy
> orders would only be able to claim benefit of clergy once.  The  
> Renaissance
> playwright Ben Jonsson got off from a murder charge by claiming  
> benefit of
> clergy, even though he was never connected with the church.
>
> The test was always reading Psalms 51 (or 50, depending on the  
> numbering
> system).  It was the appallingly appropriate "Miserere mei, Deus,  
> secundus
> misericordiam tuam" ("O God, have mercy upon me, according to thine
> heartfelt mercifulness").  Since it could be used to keep your neck  
> out of
> the noose, it came to be known as the "neck-verse".
>
> Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin

Very cool trivia! Thanks, Robin. :-)

Michael